Salford City have re-signed defender Stephan Negru on loan from Oxford United until the end of the 2024/25 season.
The 22-year-old spent the first half of the campaign on loan with The Ammies, where he helped the team to keep 10 clean sheets in 20 League Two appearances.
On the back of his impressive form marshalling the Salford backline, Oxford United elected to cut Negru’s initial loan short and recalled the centre-back on January 9.
However, he was not chosen to feature in any of the U’s January matches by head coach Gary Rowett.
Negru will be available for selection once the EFL and the FA have ratified the move. After his stellar start to the campaign, it is expected he will play a pivotal role in Salford’s bid for League Two promotion.
We can confirm that Stephan Negru will spend the rest of the 2024-25 season back at The Peninsula Stadium 🙌
Welcome back, Steph 🧱
— Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) January 23, 2025
Karl Robinson’s side currently sit 7th in the division, two points off the automatic promotion positions and one point inside the play-off places, amid a closely contested battle to escape England’s fourth tier.
Negru began his career at League of Ireland side Shelbourne – where he was part of the side that won the First Division title in 2021 – before he was signed by then-Oxford United manager Karl Robinson in 2022.
He made 21 appearances for the U’s as Oxford achieved promotion to the Championship through the League One play-offs. The young defender re-united with Robinson at Salford in June, searching for more consistent playing time.
Negru’s arrival comes after The Ammies were beaten in League Two for the first time since the start of December, slipping to a 2-0 defeat against Fleetwood Town.
Robinson will hope the centre-back can have an immediate impact, and that his team can return to winning ways, away to Cheltenham Town on Saturday, Kick-off is at 3 pm.
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